'Alireza' (not his real name) is 23 and was a member of a house
church in Karaj, about 25km from Tehran.

In
September 2010 he was arrested, severely beaten and tortured. His story shows
how severely Christians are treated by the
Islamic regime and why we need your help to encourage and support them.

Alireza's story

While he was at work one day, security officers searched his home and discovered Christian books, Bibles, and a
satellite dish. They told his wife to
tell him to surrender to the authorities.
Alireza saw that his house was under surveillance, so he turned and did
not go home for two days. But after speaking with his wife, he presented
himself to the police.

"I entered an office and met a man
who asked me to remain seated
as he left the room. Shortly after, another man came in and pulled a bag over my head and led me to a different room. Here was a man who seemed to be in charge of
interrogations. He knew a lot about Christianity and the church movement
in Iran.

"He asked me to tell him which
house church I belonged to and to identify its members
and leaders, and which foreign Christian
organisations I am affiliated with. When he realized I was [not] giving
him the information he wanted, he told me I would be kept as long as necessary to get it. Next, he hooded me again and took me to a very small prison-like
cell. Men came in and poured cold water over me several times. I was
totally disoriented and lost my awareness of place and time.

"A few hours later they took me back for further questioning. This time if my answers were unsatisfactory, he would kick my legs and feet. Once in a while, he called someone
to beat me up. I could not defend or protect myself because my hands
were tied at the back to the chair."

Tortured for his faith

Alireza was repeatedly interrogated. On several occasions, he

was handcuffed and hung from a hook.
They would insult him, his
family, his faith, Christianity, Christ, and then start whipping him with a cable or a water hose. Whenever he agreed to confess,
they would bring him down and resume the questions regarding the house church
and his affiliation with foreign Christian organisations.

"Every time my answers did not satisfy them, they would start !heating me with a cable cord or a hose — so much
so that I would pass out. Then they would pour water on me and as soon as
I came to, they would resume their tortures."

Freedom and escape

After three days of torture, his family
found someone to post bail. He was released on
condition that he would not go to hospital until his case was reviewed by a
revolutionary court. "They told me that
if I talked about my interrogation or torture or continued my Christian
activities, I would face consequences such as being killed in an apparent car
accident; or my family would find my body in a field with no evident cause of
death."

Alireza
left Iran several weeks later and his family joined him a little while
afterwards. They lost everything as a result of their faith. Please pray that they will
recover from their ordeal.

Pastor Vahik Abrahamian

Pastor Vahik
Abrahamian, with his wife Sonia and their friends Arash Kermanjani and his wife Arezo, was arrested
in Hamadan on September 4, last year, on charges of
propagating Christianity. For the first 40
days they were held in solitary confinement and suffered physical and
psychological abuse. Then they were transferred to Evin prison (See factbox
opposite).

Sonia, Arash and Arezo
were finally released on April 30 after 239 days in detention, during which
time Sonia suffered a miscarriage. He had
previously been arrested and imprisoned on February 20, 2010, and was
released only after he had spent 53 days in prison. It is clear that he is being targeted because Vahik and Sonia lead a cluster
of house churches in seven cities.

We're delighted to let you know that while this letter was in production, Pastor Vahik was
finally released. But there are other Christians still in prison, so do
please pray earnestly for them. Please read
on to see how you can encourage Christians in Iran.

Thirst for change
Dissatisfaction with the repressive regime led to massive demonstrations in several cities after the presidential elections in 2009, supposedly won by President Ahmadinejad with a landslide victory. But the EU, UK, US and several European countries expressed concern over election irregularities, and many analysts and journalists voiced doubts about the authenticity of the results. Supporters of opposition candidate and former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi repeatedly filled the streets in mainly peaceful protest.

"l will
stop Christianity"

The massive desire
for political change seems to be mirrored by a spiritual yearning that has seen
many Muslims becoming Christians, despite the severe penalties for doing so.
Since the Revolution in 1979, more and more Iranians have become disillusioned
with Islam. The authorities are worried by the growth of the Church, which challenges and affronts the image of
Iran as a model Islamic state. President Ahmadinejad has declared that the Government will put a stop to
the burgeoning house church movement. "I will stop Christianity in
this country," he has stated.

Christian
news channel

One of our Iranian

partners, the Farsi

Christian News

Network
(FCNN), says

that in December

2010 the authorities

launched a fresh crackdown on Christians, and during
the past 12
months about 300 have been arrested. Among them were Mustafa Shokrollahi and Khalil
Yarali. They were released on $50,000 bail, but the hearing they face may
sentence them to imprisonment in Evin. (The
date of the hearing is unknown at the time of writing.)

Christian Broadcasting

Yet despite
the crackdown, more and more Iranians are turning to Christ.
Another of our partners broadcasts Christian TV programmes
into Iran. It receives almost 10,000 calls each year, many asking
about becoming a Christian, or asking a counsellor to pray
with them for salvation. House church leaders are almost overwhelmed
in caring for these new believers.

Christian Resources

Other
partners in our ministry to Christians in Iran support

networks of
house churches in cities across the country. One provides
support for more than 60 leaders and resources such as the
Bible in Farsi, the Jesus film on DVD and teaching CDs.

But there
is an increasing need for extra support for local house church
network supervisors, and for resources.

Helping
Iranians to be faithful the face of persecution

It is
vitally important that we support those who are helping Iranians to meet
Christ and to become his faithful followers. So we are promoting
the training of leaders and new Christians, so they become mature
believers who can live as Christians in this repressive State.

Please help
God's kingdom to advance in this country where there is so
much spiritual hunger, where people not only meet Jesus through
personal testimonies, the Jesus film, or supernatural dreams and
visions, but remain faithful to him despite the risks or experience of being
arrested and suffering for him.

If you have never made a donation to Release before may
I really encourage you to do so now? Christians in Iraq
face intense persecution so they really need our support
and encouragement !

Evin Prison -

the
Bastille of the revolution

In Iran,
which executes more of its citizens than any nation except China, Evin
prison is notorious. Its reputation is so terrible that its approach
road has been nicknamed "the ramp of repentance". Behind its walls some
prisoners languish for years awaiting trial. Some are beaten and
tortured. Some die from their injuries during interrogation. Thieves have their
hands amputated. Some prisoners are hanged and their bodies are
left dangling from cranes. Some are executed by firing squad, sometimes
by the dozen.

Incarceration
in Evin is a terrible experience. Prisoners may be held in solitary
confinement, or else in a cell designed for two but occupied by six. Many
prisoners have no mattress, and have to sleep on their clothing.

The windows
are covered by grilles that hide the sky. The prisoners receive inadequate
medical attention, so if any develop a contagious condition, many others
are soon also suffering from it. They are regularly subjected to rape and
psychological and physical torture. Christian converts from Islam have been
whipped with metal cables on their backs, chests and the soles of their
feet.

It was here
that Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were held for 248
days in 2009 on the charge of 'apostasy' (converting to Christ from
Islam). They were arrested on March 5 and released on November 18. Eight
months in Evin! Their health suffered greatly, but they were understandably
jubilant on their release. "Words are not enough to express our
gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked

for our
release," they said.

Incarceration
in Evin is a terrible experience. Prisoners may be held in solitary
confinement, or else in a cell designed for two but occupied by six. Many
prisoners have no mattress, and have to sleep on their clothing.

The windows
are covered by grilles that hide the sky. The prisoners receive inadequate
medical attention, so if any develop a contagious condition, many others
are soon also suffering from it. They are regularly subjected to rape and
psychological and physical torture. Christian converts from Islam have been
whipped with metal cables on their backs, chests and the soles of their
feet.

It was here
that Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were held for 248
days in 2009 on the charge of 'apostasy' (converting to Christ from
Islam). They were arrested on March 5 and released on November 18. Eight
months in Evin! Their health suffered greatly, but they were understandably
jubilant on their release. "Words are not enough to express our
gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked for our
release," they said.

Iran Information Population:74.2 million

Capital:Tehran

Government:Theocratic republic

President:Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad Supreme Leader: Ali Hoseini-Khameini

Religion:Muslim
96%; Zoroastrian 2.6%; Christian 0.58%; Other 0.82%

History

Iran, known asPersia
before1935, was oneof the
greatestempires of

the ancientworld. It hasmaintained itsdistinctiveness

in the Islamic world by retaining its
own language (Farsi, ratherthan Arabic) and adhering to the Shia interpretation of
Islam.

Iran became a unique Islamic republic in 1979, when themonarchy
was overthrown and ayatollahs (Islamic clerics) assumedcontrol under supreme leader Ayatollah
Khomeini. The Iranianrevolution ended the rule of the Shah, who had
alienated religious,political and popular forces with a programme of
modernisationforced through by
the heavy repression of opponents.

In 1980 Iraq invaded Iran, hoping to
take advantage of thedisruption of the Revolution. This began
an eight-year war whichleft around half a million dead and many more wounded.

In
2002, President George W. Bush declared Iran part of an

"axis of evil" for its
alleged support of international terrorism andrepression.
While President Obama has softened his tone, the UScontinues to accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Recent years have seen a growing
appetite for political reformamong the Iranian people. But the liberals'
victory over theultra-conservatives in the parliamentary elections
of 2000 failedto bring any significant change for religious
liberty. Freedom ofreligion other than for Shia Islam is limited,
despite constitutionalguarantees of religious liberty. Evangelising
Muslims is bannedand the penalty for apostasy (conversion from
Islam) is death. Thesentence
is sometimes, though rarely, carried out.

Iran executes more of its people than
any other nation except

China. In the first half of 2011, there were 190
executions.This is a significant increase on the number in
previous years, and is considered to be a response to the"Arab
Spring", to discourage any similar popularuprising in Iran. Shirin Ebadi, the IranianNobel Peace Prize winner, says that the

regime is using criminal charges as acover for political
persecution.

Persecution

Christians make up about half of one per
cent of the population. Christians
who keep a low profile are able to practise their faithquietly, without too much
interference. But pastors may findthemselves under scrutiny and being monitored by
the Ministryof Islamic Guidance, and most Christians are
discriminatedagainst in
education, employment and property ownership.Christians from a Muslim background
pay a particularly high price.Many Christians in Iran are Armenian or Assyrian so
churchesare often restricted to conducting services in
their languages,which means that Christians from the
Farsi-speaking majorityare unable to participate in their services. Many
churches havegone underground.

In 2007 the government ordered a crackdown on
Christians.Hundreds were arrested and thousands of
Bibles were confiscated.Two years later at least 85 were
arrested, and in 2010 thatnumber exceeded 300. Western mission
agencies are forbiddenentry into the country. Yet, despite
all this, Iranians are continuingto come to Christ.

Release's
work in Iran includes:

·Training and
mentoring pastors

·Providing Christian
literature

-Offering emergency
support for individuals and families who

are persecute-°"--'

·Supporting follow-up work of an organisation
broadcasting Christian programmes into the country.

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Introduces Christ

Welcome to this Project!

This blog was conceived on the 8th August 2008,hence its title. 8 is the number of new beginnings, which was also the prophetic declaration over the Church through various prophets in 2008.On,Now,To the Third Level is not some elite form of Christianity. It is God's Norm. Watchman Nee would have called it the Normal Christian Life. Others in time past called it brokenness. We call it life. Rob Rufus explains in "Taking Away The Veil" that Christ has opened the way through to God for us. We can live there.Why bother using the phrase "Third Level"? Because there are 3 places in God's Tabernacle. And there are 3 stages of growth in 1 John 2. More than this, historically and corporately we have known forgiveness by grace. Then from 1906 onward the Church has known a charismatic empowering by grace. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and supernatural manifestations.But what we are now saying is we can live full-time to God's glory and in God's glory. There are keys of faith to each stage and in these last days God has been revealing the grace keys to this final level....a level that has had the Veil Taken Away.It is the level that is the full realisation of the New Covenant in Christ's Blood, but also the life that God promised when He said "The Knowledge of the Glory of God shall cover the Earth as the Waters Cover the Sea".A FULL LIST OF SUBJECT LABELS CAN BE FOUND LISTED ALPHABETICALLY AT THE BASE OF THIS PAGE.

About Me

This blog has a pre-history in around 100 pages on the comments sections of Dan Bowen's blog - Life on Wings,(see Dan's Vault Link in Chris's Resources below)Much autobiography is included. All posts are by me unless otherwise named.